


Inescapable

by kymberlyblack



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Bay Movies), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2020-03-20 00:35:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18981577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kymberlyblack/pseuds/kymberlyblack
Summary: A series of little drabbles about how each of the brothers met their S/O. The stories will eventually follow their everyday lives together. Open to scenario suggestions.





	1. Donnie

I approached the building as always. It was dark and slightly misting out, and I was praying the storm would wait, just hold it's breath until I could make it to shelter. Lightning tore across the sky above me and I sighed.  
“Did you have any trouble getting it all?”  
I knew that voice. It was my employer and friend. He didn't come out into the open, choosing to stand just inside the alley.  
“Not at all,” I juggled the large bags and moved into the alley as well. The second I stepped in, I set the bags down and turned around. It was a strange arrangement sure, but not any more so than Uber or something.  
“You had to go all the way uptown for the Soba?”  
“Yes. They stopped stocking it at Aldermen. I made a few calls to Asian markets and found the best range of selections. They were very moderately priced. You should consider them for more of your themed meals.”  
I could hear him rummaging through the bags, making sure everything was there. Checking receipts. It was his routine.  
“Sorry Marlowe, I'm going as fast as I can,” he mumbled. I smiled and shook my head. At least he was considerate. I had a lot of clients who wouldn't think to apologize...for anything. “How are you?”  
“It's alright Donnie. I have some time before my shift starts. And I'm doing good. Classes are easy, Tristan is getting in some Dioscorea villosa, so that will be interesting.”  
“Hmm, aren't they endangered?”  
“They are, his brother grows them and sent some this way to see if Tristan could get his own stock going.”  
“Are you wearing warm socks with your boots? You could catch a cold.”  
“I am, actually.”  
We fell into a comfortable silence. I had been with them for almost three years now. Of course, I had been tempted to look every now and then, but I respected him and our arrangement more than I was curious.  
“It's all here. Ugh..see you next week? Same time?”  
“Of course. You know how to reach me if you need something before then. Take care, Donnie.”  
I hustled uptown, making it just in time for my shift at a small new age apothecary. I loved the smell of all the drying herbs, the hundreds of tiny glass bottles lining the walls.  
“Marlowe your nearly late. Everything alright?” Tristan's salt and pepper head came around the corner as I set my bag down. I unzipped my well-loved brown leather jacket an hung it beside my bag before unwinding my long mustard yellow scarf.  
“Just finishing up shopping for a client. How was your day?” I asked as I held my hand out for the apron he was taking off. He began to ramble as I tied it around my waist, smiling when I was able to successfully loop the strings around my waist and tie it in the front. With slack. Tristan didn't miss this and his aging face lit up.  
“Congratulations! Although you know I am partial to you, no matter what size you are.”  
I threw my arms around him in a hug. He laughed and encircled me with his deviously strong embrace.  
“Well now off to work! I have a lady friend to meet for dinner,” with a gentle push he sent me to the front of the store.  
I couldn't help but sneak peeks of myself in the large mirror for most of the night. I went from a size 18 to a full 8/10. I had never worked harder in my life, but it had been worth it. I had never been happier.  
“You.” I snapped out of my admiration quickly with a blush so hot it was almost painful. I snapped my head over to see two men and a woman standing at the counter.  
“Hi, there! How can I help you?” I quickly walked back behind the counter.  
“I am here for Conium Maculatum,” the severe Asian woman spoke. I raised an eyebrow at her request, looking from her to the companions with her. I took a deep breath.  
“What form?” I asked, remaining on guard. I had never run into any serious trouble in my life and I believed it was because I never put myself into situations where trouble could find me. But I knew, without a doubt that I was in trouble right now. And I needed to be very careful, make myself less of a threat. And not a loose end.  
“Why does it matter?”  
“Makes it easier for me to look it up,” I played it off like I had no idea what she was asking for.  
“Powder.”  
“Okay, just one second. I'll check and see if we have it...” I made a big deal about scanning the shelves where I knew it wasn't. Then at the last second, I checked the locked case and smiled.  
“There it is. Jeez. Looks like there's a warning,” I grabbed the paper and flippantly scanned my eyes over it. I saw them tense and tossed it down. “Sorry, did you want to read that? It said something about upset stomach....”  
“No, I am aware of what it does.”  
“Cool! How much do you want?” I smiled as airheaded as I could.  
“All of it,” and she set a wad of cash down on the glass.  
“Right on,” I grabbed the entire jar and handed it over to her. She grabbed it quickly and turned to leave.  
“Wait!” I called out, hoping beyond hope she didn't hurt me. “Your change...?”  
She smiled then and it was a nasty thing.  
“Keep it, you've been of great service to me tonight.”  
My heart was hammering in my chest and I nearly collapsed when I heard the door close. I grabbed the phone, ready to call 911. But what would I say? A scary woman and her two friends came in and bought something! How illegal. My shoulders slumped. But if something happened and I didn't report it...  
I set the store phone down and then picked it up again. Right was right. I called the non-emergency line and told the person on the line what happened. I was put on hold and then I was transferred to someone else who told me an officer would be coming by to take my statement.  
I cleaned nervously, every sound making me jumpy. What if it was nothing? But if it was nothing then I wouldn't feel like this. The door jingled and I jumped, smiling in relief when I saw two officers walk in. One was an older man, getting soft around the middle, but with a no-nonsense attitude about him. The other was a handsome blonde young man.  
“I'm officer Avis, this is officer Jones. We received a call about suspicious activity, you want to walk us through that ma'am?”  
I spent the next 10 minutes giving them the run down.  
“And she bought..”  
“Conium Maculatum,” I finished for him.  
“Could you..” he smiled impishly. I took the notebook and wrote it down for him.  
“And what exactly is Conium Maculatum?” the older cop asked, looking around.  
“It's Hemlock. A very potent and deadly plant.”  
“And you sell that here?”  
“It has other uses, medicinal uses. If used properly.”  
“And you think they had an interest in using it improperly? Why do you think that?”  
“The amount. No one buys Hemlock in bulk, not for a good reason anyway. She came here...no camera's, out of the way place, paid cash. She wasn't alone. It just felt....”  
“Wrong,” Jones finished for me, nodding his head. “It might not amount to anything, but it's good you reported it.”  
I gave them as detailed a description of each of them as I could and they left. I felt lighter, my conscience clearer. I finished my shift and closed up the shop, as usual, plugging my headphones and opening my audible app to finish listening to my book as I walked. I had a thing for historical romance's and Outlander was one of my current favorites. I paused my book as I opened the door to the small Chinese restaurant. I smiled and waved at the round of hello's I got. I made my way to the back, stopping in the office to say hello to my landlord and lifelong friend Mrs. Szeto.  
“All done for the day?” she smiled.  
“I am. Need any help?”  
“Sweet girl, go home!”  
I was about to leave when she sighed.  
“When do you need me?” I laughed.  
“Morning shift tomorrow?”  
“Sure, I'll be down bright and early.”  
“Cash or rent reduction?”  
“Either is fine Mrs. Szeto. Have a good night.”  
She waved me away and I climbed the back stairs to my humble little abode. I unlocked the door, smelling my crockpot lemon butter chicken. I threw the deadbolt and slipped my boots off in darkness, knowing everything by heart. My stomach growled as I walked into the kitchen, the only light was the angry red numbers illuminated on my crockpot. I reached behind it to grasp for the light switch I knew was right by the plugin. I flipped it up, my kitchen suddenly blaring into existence under the harsh fluorescents. I lifted the lid, holding my head away as steam rolled out. The chicken looked great and my stomach gave another hungry growl.  
I giggled as I pulled my jacket off, along with my scarf. Then I pulled my sweater over my head, leaving me in my black tank top that said, If I can't take my book I'm not going. I opened the freezer and grabbed a steamable bag of mixed veggie's and tossed it in the microwave.  
“Marlowe..”  
I spun around quickly, heart hammering in my chest.  
“Who's there?” I called, taking out my phone. I pressed the emergency call button, but nothing happened.  
“It's Donnie!” and I knew immediately it was him. His voice was distinct. But why was he in my house?! And how did he know where I lived?  
“Donnie?” my voice came out shaky. “What..how?”  
All the most terrible thoughts ran through my head. Was he here to rob me? Rape me? Murder me?  
“Please don't be afraid, I'm not here to hurt you. I..I think you're in danger.”  
Yeah from you, my brain screamed.  
“I'm a...going to come a little closer, please Marlowe, please. Don't..don't panic.”  
I watched as he came forward, moving slowly. I noticed his pants first, a tawny brown cargo type. On one knee was a scuffed up kneepad, like for rollerblading. The other had something wrapped around it, straps of some kind, extending up to his leg to his thigh. I kept going up, his pants ending at a utility belt around his waist. And that's when it got weird. My brain couldn't comprehend what I was seeing, not right away. So I went up further, my neck craning back to see him. And it was something to see.  
He was dominantly green, with darker spots here and there. He had a full shell and a plastron. I moved to his head and was relieved to see familiar features. A large mouth with lips, nose holes. I felt my breath hitch, fear blossoming in my chest as I tried to figure out what I was looking at. A turtle somewhere in my mind whispered. A giant, bipedal turtle. And just when I thought I was going to scream, my eyes met his. And I saw the most profound sadness in his beautiful molten hazel eyes.  
“You're so tall,” was all I could manage out as I thought, my brain moving faster than I could really comprehend.  
“Ugh..yeah.”  
His voice was thick, like someone who was trying really hard not to cry would sound. And I knew right there at that moment that I had a choice to make. I could scream, force him out and let that be the last memory he had of me. Or I could show him kindness, the same that Tristan and Mrs. Szeto had shown me.  
“Would you like some dinner? I was just sitting down to eat. Lemon pepper chicken and steamed vegetables?”  
He didn't seem to know what to say, so I kept talking. Like I always had with him.  
“I'm sorry for the way I reacted, it was really rude of me. I was shocked, I'll admit. But that doesn't excuse the way I treated you.”  
I walked back to the microwave, checking on the vegetables. They were cool now, so I set them to reheat while I busied myself with getting two of everything. I had to go up on my tippy toes to reach the plates in the cupboard, but that was nothing new. I didn't have a kitchen table, but there was a built-in breakfast bar with overhanging cupboards that separated the kitchen and the living room. I set everything up, noticing that he was watching my every move.  
“What would you like to drink? I have water, tea, there might be a soda in here somewhere...”  
“Water is fine,” he finally spoke, moving around the bar to take the only stool on that side.  
I put the larger of the two chicken breasts on his plate, along with more vegetables. I set it down in front of him and then made my plate. I stood opposite of him, as there was no stool on this side. He used his fork to cut off a small piece of chicken and after a moment of studying it, he placed it in his mouth.  
“This is really good,” and I believed him. He cut off another larger section of chicken and ate it. I smiled and thanked him, eating my food slowly.  
“So what..” but he cut me off.  
“Mutant turtle,” he leveled his heavy gaze on me.  
“I was going to ask what you meant when you said I was in danger. I sort of figured the turtle thing out. Shell, plastron.”  
“Oh..” and his skin got darker, almost like a blush. It made me smile. “I've ugh..sort of been monitoring you. Nothing invasive. Not really anyways. As a sort of contingency ever since you started doing our personal shopping. You called the police from your work, I read the call logs.”  
“You can do that?” I asked, baffled. It sounded like something out a spy movie. “Don't think I've skipped over the monitoring thing, because we will get back to that.”  
He smiled and ducked his head for a moment. It was such a normal thing to do.  
“I can,” he sounded more confident, like the Donnie I was used to talking to in that dark alley. “Is this her?”  
He held a small screen up for me to see, but the picture was blurry, so I leaned forward grabbing his hand to move the phone closer to me. I studied it, it certainly could be her. His skin was slightly dewy, but not unpleasant feeling. It was almost distracting, in its difference from mine.  
“Her hair is different now, but if that's not her then she has a twin or a doppelganger running around New York,” I smiled as I let his hand go. “Who is she?”  
“Karai,” Donnie was typing quickly on a small keyboard. “High ranking member of the Foot Clan.”  
My fork fell from my hand, clanking heavily on my glass plate. He looked up at me as I covered my mouth with my hand. The Foot Clan?! I sold her Hemlock! Tears sprang up into my eyes.  
“Marlowe?”  
“I sold her Hemlock, I swear I didn't know who...what have I done?” and the tears really flowed now. If she hurt anyone, it would be my fault. My stomach lurched at the thought and I felt my supper coming back up. I turned just in time to throw up into my sink. I heard movement behind me as my long hair was being pulled away from the sink.  
“It's going to be okay. You didn't know, how could you?” his voice was calm. Soothing. “I'll figure out what she's going to do with it and stop her.”  
“How?” I breathed heavily, my stomach not sure yet if it was done revolting.  
“Well, we stopped Shredder and the Foot Clan a few months ago, we can do it again,” he replied nonchalantly.  
A few months ago? But that was.  
“I thought Vern Fenwick did that?” I ran the water, clearing out the sink. Then I splashed my face a few times, grabbing the small dish towel to pat it somewhat dry. I turned and found Donnie right beside me.  
“Vern is a friend. We couldn't very well take credit for it,” he shrugged. “Feel better?”  
“Not in the remotest. I should have trusted my gut and not sold it to her! I'm such an idiot,” I rubbed my forehead angrily, trying to ward off the headache that was forming.  
“It's very likely if you would have refused to sell it, she would have hurt or killed you and taken it anyway. At least this way nothing...nothing happened to you.”  
I smiled at the sentiment.  
“Thanks but it's little consolation at the moment.”  
He nodded.  
“So back to our original discussion, you found the call log from the one I placed to the police and what..? Put it together based on the description I gave them that it was this Karai woman and came to find me?”  
“Yes. I uh...was worried about you. I wasn't sure if she would consider you a loose end or..”  
“Thank you,” I smiled up at him. “I know you risked a lot. Coming here, showing yourself to me...It was brave. Really brave.”  
His face got dark again, which I was pretty sure meant he was blushing. Something beeped on him and he tapped his ear, stepping back.  
“Yeah, Leo?” He must be answering a call. I tried to tune it out, as I gathered the dishes. But it was hard. “I'm with her right now. Yes. With her, with her. She's right here next to me.”  
I washed the dishes quickly and set them to dry, but Donnie was still talking. Quickly and not quietly. So I squeezed past him, accidentally brushing my chest against his bent elbow.  
“Excuse me,” I apologized as I moved into the living room. I turned my flat screen on along with my Xbox one. I curled up at the end of my overstuffed grey couch, pulling the blush pink blanket off the back and wrapping it around me. I signed into Hulu and started the X-Files while I waited for Donnie to finish up. I couldn't get into it, my mind was far, far away. Donnie said he was a mutated turtle. What mutated him? I wasn't well versed in gene splicing or genetic science but that was where my mind went. I twirled my long skillfully balayage blonde hair around my finger as I thought.  
“You like the X-Files?”  
I jumped at his voice, turning my head to look at him.  
“Sorry Marlowe...” he mumbled.  
“I'm sorry Donnie, I was lost in thought for a moment. What did you say?”  
“Do you..uhm, like the X-Files?” and he pointed one of his large green fingers to the tv screen where Mulder and Scully were chasing after some unidentified creature. A smile crept onto my face.  
“Like is an understatement. I am obsessed. I have all the seasons on DVD.”  
He smiled down at me, shuffling nervously from one foot to the other.  
“Come sit and watch it with me,” I offered.  
“I'd love to,” he sounded sad. “But..well you see. My brother wants me to bring you back to the lair. And uhm, so do I. For protection. So we...I can protect you, in case Karai comes for you.”  
“You want me to go with you to your home, on the off chance that Karai will come here? I don't mean to sound dismissive of your fears, but how would she know who I am? Or where I live?1”  
“She could have had you followed,” he offered, coming to sit on the couch. He turned his upper body towards me. “Or she might have done some research beforehand and chose your shop for one reason or another. I won't make you do anything you don't want to do, but I really hope you'll choose to come with me. I...I don't want anything bad to happen to you.”  
He kept those brilliant eyes on me and I held his gaze, seeing my reflection in his glasses.  
“For how long?” I asked finally.  
“The night at least, a few days tops. Just to make sure you aren't being targeted.”  
I sighed and twirled my hair again, thinking. I had vacation time at the apothecary, Tristan wouldn't mind. But I had just promised Mrs.Szeto I would take the morning shift, then I looked back to Donnie. And I knew my answer.  
“Alright.”

Lair-

“Donnie must be like..in heaven, right bro?” Mikey asked, nudging Raph. Leo shushed him as they watched Donnie fawn over the pretty blonde woman he brought with him.  
“Didn't she use ta be bigger?” Raph wondered out loud. He definitely remembered Donnie's crush being a big girl.  
“Ya bro, remember Donnie said she was losing weight. She looks fiiiiiiine.”  
“Stop, both of you. What is she hears you?”  
“I do,” she turned her head and smiled at them. She had bright straight white teeth, hidden behind pillowy lips. Her bluebird blue eyes were shining with mirth. Mikey gasped in faux shock.  
“Girl, for some reason I was feeling a little off today. But when you came along, you definitely turned me on.”  
“Mikey!” Leo smacked his brother in the back of the head. But Marlowe just laughed.

There was nothing to do but laugh. Donnie looked down at me, his brow lowered.  
“Oh come on! That was pretty funny,” I smiled up at him. He shook his head and looked over to Mikey.  
“I've got loads more angel, you just say the word,” Mikey smiled arrogantly.  
“I'm sorry,” Donnie covered his eyes for a second, before sighing dramatically and grabbing my bags.  
“You can stay in my room, I'll sleep on the cot I have in my lab,” Donnie spoke as I walked behind him.  
“You can sleep in my room!” Mikey called out behind us. I heard a chorus of shut up Mikey's, including Donnie.  
“You have a lab?” I asked as we walked further into this bizarre underground home. It smelled of incense and damp. Not a terrible combination, but a strange one. Everything about my day had been strange if I was being honest with myself. I was in a sewer, sort of, with four mutant brothers because a member of the foot clan may or may not be looking to hurt me.  
“I'm sure all of this is overwhelming for you,” Donnie began, seemingly ignoring my question. I didn't mind, he seemed to be almost joyous at the moment. “But if you need anything, I'm not far away. I've got a tv in my room, so you can watch X-Files if you want, or I've got an extensive collection of books if you want to read. Or..”  
“I'm a guest Donnie, I don't want to put you out like that. I could sleep on the couch, or the floor..”  
“You're my guest, I'd hardly let you sleep on the floor. I just washed my bedding yesterday, so don't worry about it. I sleep on the cot in my lab more than my bed. Besides..” and then he stopped walking and turned to look at me. “I..I want you to be comfortable here.”  
“I'm sure I will be, you've been a great host so far,” I smiled at him. He blushed again and we moved towards a doorway of a room that looked to have been cobbled together. The walls were made of plywood, sheets of some kind of metal, chainlink fence covered with fabric. It was very..unique.  
“Not much, but it's home,” he carefully set my bags down as I looked around. He had bookshelves lined with books, books piled in corners. Books everywhere. But in the center of the room was a very large bed, black sheets and a stack of mismatched blankets.  
“I'll borrow some pillows from Leo,” he mumbled and headed out. I stood there for a moment, unsure of what I should do.  
“Hey angel,” I turned to see Mikey in the doorway.  
“My name is Marlowe Mikey, not angel.”  
“I know, but angel suits you better.”  
I laughed and shook my head. He walked in, looking around and then at me and down to my bags.  
“X-Files! Cool, can I watch it with you?” he grinned down at me like a little kid.  
“Sure, Donnie said there was a tv in here,” I looked around for it.  
“Oh, want to be alone with me?” he grinned and stepped closer to me. I had to lift my head back, not as far as with Donnie, that man was tall. But far enough.  
“There's a tv in the livin room,” the biggest brother, Raph, was standing in the doorway.  
“Way to cock block me, bro,” Mikey whined.  
I smiled at Raph in thanks.  
“Mind if I join?” he asks.  
“Of course not, are you guys big fans?”  
“Scully is hot!” Mikey grins and Raph shakes his head at his antics.  
“Only eva got ta see a few episodes, liked what I saw.”  
“I have the complete collection,” I grinned, reaching down to grab the first season. Donnie returned then, Raph stepping aside so he could enter his room.  
“Got you some pillows,” he gently placed what looked like four pillows onto the bed. One would be more than enough. “What's going on?”  
“Watching X-Files in the livin room,” Raph grinned in a feral manner at Donnie. I knew it meant something, but I wasn't sure exactly what. I looked between Raph and Donnie a few times and then to Mikey. He was doing the same as me, but he seemed to catch on. A grin broke out on his face.  
“I've got some projects to finish..”  
“They ain't going nowhere,” Raph was still smiling. “Come spend some time with the family. Bet it will make Marlowe more comfortable.”  
Donnie swallowed, looking from Raph down to me.  
“You don't have to if you don't want to,” I offered with a small smile. It was a lie, I wanted Donnie to come. I knew him. His brothers not so much. I began to twirl a piece of my long hair again, spinning it between my fingers anxiously.  
“Sure, uhm..just let me take care of some things,” and then Mikey had my hand I was being pulled out of the room, down the hallway and into a larger room. I wouldn't have pegged it as a living room per se, but there was a large couch with some larger than I had ever seen bean bag looking chairs and a very large screen.  
I sat on the edge and everyone seemed to mull around for a bit before committing to any particular seat. Leo came in but was quickly ushered away by Raph. And then they both re-entered, smiles on their faces. Mikey set everything up and pressed play, the eerie music blaring through the incredible surround sound.  
“Great right!? Donnie set it up. He can build anything. Bro's a legit genius.”  
Speaking of legit genius, Donnie walked in and looked around. He shot his brothers a look before coming to take a seat next to me.  
“Have they..have they been behaving?” he asked, his voice low.  
“They've been perfect gentlemen,” I informed him. The lights cut out and everyone moved to take a seat.  
We were two episodes in when I felt eyes on me. I could see it wasn't Mikey, his eyes were glued to the tv. Raph and Leo were further down the couch, blocked by Donnie's tall stature. I rolled my eyes to the side to see his eyes quickly darting away. My phone vibrated in my butt pocket and I shifted to grab it. The screen was glaring bright when I scanned my fingerprint, so before I read my message I turned the brightness down some.  
Quick, what's the formula for salicylic acid?  
I sighed and quickly typed a response.  
C7H6O3.  
Rapid fire night at Jerry's. Why'd you skip out?  
Busy.  
Macro list necessary in plants?  
Nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and sulfur.  
This would have been your night. It's botany questions.  
More like biochemistry. Which you took last semester.  
Give me a break, I only passed because I...well you know ;)  
Gross, don't remind me. You're on your own for the rest of the night. <3  
I put my phone back in my pocket and returned my attention back to the tv.  
“You remember the formula for salicylic acid?” Donnie whispered, his head turned in your direction.  
“Yeah, it's one of the most well know pharmacological compounds found in plants. Aspirin, morphine and digoxin are all made from salicylic acid.”  
I hadn't taken my eyes off the tv, even though from my peripheral vision I could see he was still looking at me.  
“You're majoring in biochemistry, right?” he asked. I shook my head no, not wanting to disturb the others watching tv.  
“Phytochemistry,” I corrected him softly. “Although there is no specific major for it, my student advisor is aware of my interests and we have scheduled the classes that would most benefit me. I believe my major on paper is Plant Physiology or Botany which I am sure you can guess, is not a very popular one.”  
“Doesn't any pharmacy student have to take those classes?” he asked, his voice not so low. Mikey turned to look at us, a grin on his face.  
“Yes, it's a requirement. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to sound like one lonely soul among the masses. There are plenty of people studying the same things as me. Just not so many majoring in it in my university.”  
“What is your Intelligence Quotient?” he asked suddenly. I turned this time to look at him. His eyes were molten gold behind his glasses, the reflection of the large screen casting shadows on the side of his face.  
“I feel like I should get points just for knowing what that means,” I smiled. “In all seriousness though, I am not sure. I got a 34 on my ACT if that helps at all.”  
“That puts you in the 99th percentile...” he trailed off. I shrugged. I didn't stress over it like some of the other kids in high school did. I studied sure, Mrs. Szeto and Tristan both helped me and I bought one book. But that was the extent of it.  
“I don't really think the numbers matter,” I finally spoke. He tipped his head to the side.  
“What do you mean?” I could tell I must have poked a topic of concern, or maybe even one he was..proud of? I didn't want him to get defensive, so I began to explain.  
“Take Tristan, my boss at the apothecary. He only has a 9th-grade education, he would no doubt do terribly on any kind of standardized testing. But he is still one of the smartest people I have ever met. His knowledge of anatomy and physiology is on par with doctors. He can tell you exactly what plant you should use for what ailment, what it's phyla, class, order, family, genera, and species is. I've seen him take an engine apart and put it back together with no manual. So I just feel that trying to say everyone smart lives above a certain number and everyone below is...average. Or below average isn't a very good way to measure intelligence.”  
“I..I never thought of it like that before.”  
“Well, it's just my opinion. And you know what they say about those,” I laughed and turned my attention back to the screen. Mulder and Scully were in Alaska, and there was a parasite that had been frozen in the ice on the loose inside the drilling base.  
The rest of the evening was quiet. I glanced at my phone and saw it was late, like after midnight late. And I had first shift at the Golden Palace. I stood up and stretched, before bidding them all a good night.  
After changing into my pajama's, I found the bathroom down the hall. I did my nightly routine, brushing my teeth, washing my face. When I opened the door, Donnie was leaning against the wall opposite, like he was waiting.  
“Sorry, I didn't mean to take so long. All yours,” I smiled and stepped aside. He didn't move, save for his eyes, which tracked me.  
“Everything alright?” I asked, a little concerned.  
“We're friends right?” he asked, his voice unusual.  
“Yeah,” I uncrossed my arms and moved closer to him. “At least, I've considered us friends for a long time now. Three or so years.”  
He didn't respond so I took a chance and reached out and touched his crossed forearms. He looked down and then back up to me.  
“Look, I know when I first met you I didn't behave the way I should have. And the circumstances could have been better, but it doesn't change anything for me. You're still the same Donnie. The caring, kind, smart man I met in a dark alley with forty pounds of groceries once a week for three years.”  
He still didn't speak and I took my hand away, putting them on my now shapely hips.  
“My appearance has changed, does it bother you?” I asked. That knocked him for a loop.  
“What..no. Of course not.”  
“Because it's still me, right?” I grinned as he nodded. “And you are still you. Except now I have a face for the person.”  
“Mutant.”  
“You know exactly how I meant it, Donatello, don't go putting words in my mouth that I haven't spoken. Especially when they are meant to drag down a friend.”  
He let out a lite chuckle and I smiled, removing my hands from my hips. He seemed to straighten up some.  
“When do you need to be to work by?”  
“8 am. I have prep and then waitressing until 3.”

I tossed and turned for most of the night. It wasn't because the bed was uncomfortable, because it was the exact opposite. I was worried about Donnie. He was acting so strange, or at least I thought it was strange. Back when we talked in the alley, he had this confidence about himself. He spoke fluently, rarely stuttered. He was witty and on some occasions even sassy. But now I didn't really recognize him. It was like he was a different person. It made me wonder which was the real him? Or if I was reading way too far into it? Could it just be because I now knew about him and he was nervous? It wasn't like I was going to run screaming from him or his brothers. Of course, they were alien looking. But it wasn't frightening, at least, not to me.  
And who would I be to body shame? Lord knows I had enough of it in high school to last a lifetime. It wasn't until now that I felt truly comfortable in my skin, and it was a hard-won battle. I was 5'7 and fit a size 8/10 now. My goal was curvy and fit. And I got it. Donnie had seen me at my absolute biggest, listened to me lament about how hard it was. He must know that I would never think less of him because of his appearance, right?  
I fell into a fitful and restless sleep until my alarm went off at 6. I sat up and shuffled over to the light switch. The room illuminated brightly under soft light. I grabbed my makeup case and sat at the small desk in the back, using a stack of books to prop my mirror up on. Then I wobbled on tired legs down to the bathroom to brush my teeth and relieve myself. When I got back Donnie was in my..well his room.  
“You're up early,” I yawned. He turned around two steaming mugs in his hands.  
“Tea, with stevia sweetener,” he held a cracked purple mug out to me. I smiled, touched that he remembered.  
“Thank you, Donnie, this was so thoughtful,” and when my hands wrapped around that warm mug I sighed. It was such a good feeling. Soothing. I moved to the desk in the back, taking a sip of my tea.  
“It's delicious!” I exclaimed, putting some primer in my hands.  
“How did you sleep last night?” he asked, taking a seat on the edge of his bed.  
“Truthfully, not very well. I was worried about you.” I kept up with my routine. I primed my eyelids and then moved on to pencil in my brows. Once they were done, I went back to my eyes, knowing my primer was dry.  
“About me?” his voice cracked, sort of squeaked.  
“You know that your appearance...” I paused as I blended my eyeshadow. When I was done with one eye I continued. “Doesn't change how I feel about you right? You're still my friend. Nothing can change that.”  
I did my other eye, waiting for Donnie to speak. I lined my waterline before grabbing my liquid eyeliner and giving myself some sultry cat eyeliner. It got me better tips when I was waitressing. I sipped my tea as I went about putting my face on. When I was done, I turned to look at Donnie. He was still on the edge of his bed, his head looking straight.  
“Hey, you good?” I called out. He sort of jumped, like when you catch someone zoning out and startle them. He turned to look at me and his eyes widened.  
“You look great,” he smiled and then blushed deeply.  
“Thanks, I realized I get better tips when I doll up like an Instagram babe than when I am plain faced.”  
“I think your beautiful both ways,” he mumbled, but I heard him. I hadn't heard that from anyone but my father, Tristan and Mrs. Szeto. It warmed my heart and made my eyes mist. I tipped my head back, doing my best to spare my eye makeup.  
“Thank you, Donnie, that's the nicest compliment I've ever gotten.”  
“Really?” he shook his head and took a drink of what looked like coffee. I glanced at my phone for the time. I sighed. Time to get dressed and do my hair. I stood, finishing my tea and grabbed my lipstick and liner. I would do it in the bathroom along with my hair.  
“I'll be right back,” I picked up my bag and headed to the bathroom once again. In no time I was back.  
“That's your uniform?!” he exclaimed, his eyes bulging. I looked down at the black and gold cheongsam top and black dress slacks. He made me self conscious so I double checked to make sure everything was buttoned and zipped.  
“It's better than the old one. It use to be a cheongsam dress in gold and red that had a slit that came up to the knee. To many issues with customers, I hated wearing that.”  
He took a deep breath and shook his head, getting to his feet. I craned my neck back to watch him, trying to get a read.  
“We should get going,” he set his cup down and walked out. I was left without a clue again. Had I done something? Why was he always getting so...worked up? No that wasn't the right word. Unsettled? That might be better. I grabbed my big boho purse and chased after him.  
The walk was silent through the sewers. He played with his arm gadget instead of talking to me, which made me slightly uncomfortable. It was like he was ignoring me, or purposely avoiding me. Even though we were walking together. I had never been in a position where I didn't know where I stood with someone before, but it's how I felt now. He stopped to do something but I kept going, remembering the way. I reached the ladder just as he caught up.  
“Why didn't you wait?” he asked, pinning me down with his eyes.  
“I...this feels weird. Why does it feel weird? We use to be able to talk so freely with one another in the alley. What's changed?”  
He shook his head and climbed the ladder. I followed, taking the offered hand he held down for me. New York in the early morning was my favorite.  
“I'll see you at 3,” I waved, taking out my iPod and plugging the buds in my ears. Outlander would keep me company on the short walk to the Golden Palace. I tried not to think of Donnie as I walked, but it was bugging me so it was at the forefront of my mind. I also had to come up with an excuse as to why I wasn't coming in via the back staircase like I always did.

“What are you doing?” Raph had been keeping an eye on his younger brother. He knew he heard him, headphones on and all. He'd watched him pine for Marlowe, drive himself near crazy for almost two and a half years. And last night, when he should have been over the moon, scheming to get them to sit next to one another on the sofa. Nerd show on tv. And yet he wasn't.  
“Keep on ignorin me, see what happens,” he threatened. Donnie pulled his headphones off in a huff.  
“What?!”  
“What's the matter with you?” He laid into him. “Ya been drooling over that girl since the day ya met her, and now she's down here and ya acting like a bum.”  
“I am not acting like anything,” Donnie huffed, twirling around to look at his brother. “And it's really none of your business.”  
“The hell it ain't. You've had us runnin' patrols in her neighborhood, watching her tweets, her snaps, her fuckin' facebook posts when ya busy in the lab. So don't tell me this ain't my business. Now talk brainiac.”  
Donnie sighed, his shoulders slumping.  
“She's so...kind,” but Raph cut him off.  
“Nah uh, I heard all this shit before. Tell me why you ain't makin' moves. Why you sitting in here, doin' creepy stalker shit, when she's right here?”  
“Because! Look at me! You think someone as beautiful and talented and smart as her would want anything to do with me!?” Donnie got to his feet, anger, and sadness pouring out of him. He got in Raph's face. “She just...transformed herself. She looks like..like..like a fucking supermodel! She can have anyone she wants now. Why would she pick me?”  
Raph gave his brother a not so gentle shove. Before getting in his face.  
“You think her losing some weight changed her that much? She came down here Don. You two whispered back and forth during X-Files, your face inches from one another. You think if she wasn't interested in ya, didn't give a shit, she would let you get that close?”  
“She's just being kind,” Donnie whined.  
“Yeah, she's kind. And pretty and now her body matches her insides. But she's grounded man, she ain't some snob with her nose in the air. Besides, I heard her. When you were walking her to the ladder. She's worried about you, knows you ain't actin' like yourself. She feels your tension man, your coldness. You don't shape the fuck up, and you will lose your chance with her.”  
Raph backed off, giving him some space. Donnie stared at him, eyes darting back and forth as he thought quickly.  
“You really think I stand a chance?” his voice as barely above a whisper.  
“You won't know until you try bro,” Raph had said his final word on the matter and left his genius brother to his own devices.

“Hey!” I twirled around quickly, pinning the man who pinched my ass with a glare. “Keep your hands to yourself!”  
“There a problem Marlowe?” Han had stopped chopping up vegetables and was staring at the table where I stood. He twirled and tossed the knife, his eyes never leaving the guys I was waiting on. I looked down at them and smiled.  
“I don't think so, gentlemen, are we going to have a problem?”  
They all shook their heads, eyes cast down to their plates.  
“No problem Han.”  
He nodded and went back to work. My tables were all taken care of so I walked back to the fresh grill where Han was to thank him.  
“No thanks necessary Marlowe, you're like a daughter to me,” he smiled. “Those idiots remind me of the group Han Jr. runs with now. He should not have run around on you, you were the best thing he ever had.”  
“Maybe it's just a phase?” I offered, trying to skirt the other part of that sentence.  
“He's 24 years old, he needs to grow up!” and he chopped through a thick piece of meat. I took that as my cue to leave, my shift was just about done. I met my replacement and updated her on the tables. Then I warned her about the grab asses in the far booth. I peeked my head into the kitchen and they almost balked at the amount of food I ordered to go. I thought it would be nice to bring the brothers some hot, fresh food. While they were making it I ran upstairs to my apartment only to reach the top of the stairs and freeze.  
“Hello again.”  
It was the woman from the apothecary. Karai. And she was alone.  
“Hello..” I wasn't sure what to do. I was frozen to the spot.  
“You look like a deer in the headlights,” she smiled, her voice dripping with venom. “Do not worry little deer, I am not here to hurt you. But to warn you.”  
She walked closer, her dark eyes never leaving me.  
“I know the brothers protect you,” her lips were practically on my ear as she walked around me in a tight circle. I was shaking like a leaf, doing my best not to cry. “Do not mistake their kindness. If it comes down to it if a choice must be made. You or one of them. Who do you think they will save? A brother, or a human girl they adopted as a pet?”  
She finished her circle around me and came to a stop less six inches in front of me.  
“I would never put them in a position to make that choice,” my voice came out shaky. “My life is my responsibility, no one else's. Now leave, your trespassing.”  
“Such fire,” she grabbed my jaw and turned my face slowly from one side to the other. “I believe I am beginning to understand why he covets you.” She released my face, my jaw slightly aching from the pressure she applied. The look she was giving me was one I had seen men give me before, but never a woman. I swallowed and stepped back. She grinned.  
“Goodbye Marlowe, be seeing you,” she walked away, going down the stairs I had just come up. My heart was hammering in my chest so hard I thought I was going to pass out. I put my hands on my knees and took deep breaths. My phone had been steadily buzzing in my pocket for the duration of my visit from Karai. Suddenly my apartment door flung open and Donnie stepped out. I launched forward and hugged him the best I could. My arms didn't reach around his shell, so instead, I bent them at the elbows and gripped his sides. His..well plastron was hard, but it was slightly cool to the touch and it relaxed me. Donnie put an arm around me and moved me back into my apartment. I shuffled along with him.  
“Sorry,” I let go of him after a few more seconds. “I just...really needed a hug.”  
He looked down at me, face full of worry.  
“Did she hurt you?” he asked, his voice shook a little with anger.  
“No, no. She just frightened me. The way she looked, no leered at me. My skin is still crawling.”  
“Are you sure?” his hand took mine, rubbing a large, calloused thumb across my knuckles. I met his eyes and nodded.  
“I ordered food to go, for you and your brothers for lunch. I'll just run down and get it and we can get out of here.”  
“You didn't have to do that,” he smiled.  
“You've been good to me, let me return the favor,” I smiled at him. Instead of releasing my hand, he held it tighter for a second.  
“I've got something to tell you,” he licked his lips, his eyes moving over my face before stopping and locking on my eyes. “But...I'm afraid. Of what you'll say.”  
“Whatever it is, I'm here, I'll listen. I promise.” I put my other hand over his, trying to comfort him. Whatever it was, it was clearly plaguing him, might even be the reason he's been so...different. I wanted him to know, despite my very early and very quickly dispersed misgivings about his appearance, I would never just abandon him.  
“I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. It was different in the alley, I could be...”  
“Yourself?” I finished for him.  
“Yes. I'm just worried, that this,” he indicated his face. “Would change things. Change..us. But you, you didn't react the way I theorized you would.”  
“How did you expect?”  
“Shock, fear, anger, disgust.”  
“I think I'm slightly offended, Donatello. When did I ever give you cause to think I would respond like that to you?”  
“You were afraid...”  
“That's because I arrived home to find a someone in my apartment, a male someone. I was on edge, every worst-case scenario running through my mind. I apologized, I am sorry for how I reacted.”  
Donnie opened his mouth when I heard Zack yell up the stairs that my order was done. I smiled at him, gently prying my hand free.  
“I'll be right back.”  
“Be careful,” he warned, following me to the door. “I'll be right here.”  
I nodded and walked quickly to the stairs, taking them two at a time. I swung in the kitchen to see my bags, neatly packaged. Zack even double wrapped them to keep them warm.  
“Thanks, guys!” I waved and everyone waved or nodded at me. I juggled the four brown paper bags up the stairs. Donnie slipped out of my apartment and took two of them from me.  
“How much did you order?” he asked, testing the weight of each bag.  
“I wasn't sure how much you guys ate, or what. So a lot,” I laughed. “I just need to grab my iPad pro and then we can go.”

“Angel, marry me!” Mikey dramatically fell to one knee when I finished setting out all the food.  
“Where's my ring?” I asked, standing in front of him. He balked.  
“That's what I thought, now eat! Before it gets cold. I'm going to see if Splinter would like anything.”  
I left the four brothers to dig in, as I headed towards the little room near the back where Splinter pruned his few plants and meditated.  
“Hello Marlowe,” his soft voice reached.  
“I've brought lunch. Fujan red wine chicken and Buddha's delight.”  
“Very thoughtful, how is it you came to know my favorite dishes?”  
I smiled then.  
“The shopping. The ingredients were always on the list, and since none of the boys claimed it when it was sitting out, I made the correct assumption it was for you.”  
He smiled and nodded. I moved closer and handed the plastic bag containing the food.  
“Join me?”  
I smiled and took a seat across from him.  
“Donatello says Karai paid you a visit today. That it rattled you.”  
“She said some unpleasant things,” I agreed.  
“Would you like to talk about it?” he asked after finishing a bite. I didn't say anything.  
“Donatello told me what she said to you,” he set his container down.  
“How does Donnie know?”  
“My son is gifted in technology. I believe he developed some software to turn any phone into a listening device.”  
“He bugged me?” I knew he said he was monitoring me, but this was a severe breach in my privacy.  
“Donatello has been very...strict about the use of monitoring devices where you are concerned. When you did not answer him, he called here to inform his brothers of a possible situation and that he was turning on the listening device. Do you believe Karai?”  
“That they would pick family over me?” I asked, for a moment letting go of the anger I felt at being so personally spied on. I would hash it out with Donnie later.  
He nodded.  
“I..I hope I never find out,” I sighed. “But I wouldn't fault them, any of them. Blood, family is the most important thing in the world. And besides, just like I told Karai, I am responsible for my own life. No one else.”  
“But if your new friendship brings you into danger..”  
“Then I will adapt and learn to live with it, like anything else.”  
Splinter laughed.  
“A level head for one so young.”  
“Some experiences age us quicker.” We sat in comfortable silence, Splinter eating and me thinking. I didn't want to be mad at Donnie, but I was. I should have spoken up sooner when he first told me was monitoring me. Non-evasive he told me. Bugging my phone seemed pretty invasive to me.  
“There you are,” Donnie appeared behind us. Splinter gave me a smile and a nod. I got to my feet, taking Donnie's offered hand.  
“Can I talk to you for a second, alone?”  
He nodded, keeping my hand in his as we headed to his room. Once inside, he turned to look down at me.  
“What is it?”  
I took a deep breath to keep a level head.  
“You mentioned you were monitoring me. Non-evasively.”  
He nodded his head, his mesmerizing orbs never leaving mine.  
“You bugged my phone. You can listen to all my conversations, whether I am on it or not. I am trying to stay calm here, but that is...such a violation.”  
He licked his lips, nodding his head.  
“I only ever activated it the once, when you didn't answer your phone after your shift. Come,” and he grabbed my hand again, leading me out through what I thought was just another part of the wall. It had a heavy plastic curtain, like in industrial freezers.  
I was suddenly in a rather well-equiped lab. I didn't have time to properly look around, as Donnie pulled me to a massive set of monitors. He took a seat in a very modified wheely chair and began to type, faster than I had ever seen anyone type before.  
“Here. This is all the monitoring I've done,” I looked away from his hands to the screens. I saw all my social media accounts, and then on one screen something I was familiar with. It was code, of that I knew for sure.  
“I've been monitoring all your social media, making sure no one tries to hack you, or catfish you. I've also been monitoring your emails. I have never opened anything, I just scan for trojans. I've used all this data to make predictive algorithms of your behavior, so I could best track your movements and protect you. I know that sounds...creepy. But I promise it was never meant...”  
I took another very deep breath.  
“Anyone can look at my social media,” I was rationalizing. “And my email is only for school, and they have access to it as well. But Donnie my phone is private. I am trying very hard not to get upset, or worked up.”  
He blinked at me, his tongue once again licking his lips.  
“I'm sorry,” he began. “If you feel like I...violated your privacy. But the truth is, I will do it again if I think it could save you. In fact, there isn't much I wouldn't do to keep you safe.”  
At first, I was mad, but then his words sunk in. He didn't lie, didn't make a false promise to never do it again. He was sorry about how it made me feel, I could feel that was genuine.  
“Are you mad?”  
“I was trying to be,” I let out a puff of air and then smiled. “I'm not mad, maybe more like miffed. But I'm happy you were honest with me.”  
He reached out and took both my hands in his.  
“You're probably going to get mad at me occasionally, I understand that. But I want you to know I will never lie to you. Ever.”  
“Never?” I asked, with a raised eyebrow. That was a tall order. He rubbed his thumbs across my knuckles.  
“Never ever.”  
He had become much more touchy with me. At first, I played it off as excitement or maybe even nerves. But this was different. He was...bolder. It made me think he was..not flirting, but definitely interested in me. In a more than a friends way. And especially after what he just told me.  
“Donnie, are you...?  
“Trying to show you how much I like you? Yes. Is it working?”  
I nodded.  
“Do you think..do you think you could ever be with someone like me?” He was still looking up at me, his whole face hopeful. I was faced with another decision like the one I made in my kitchen when I first met him.  
“I think I could be,” I answered truthfully. “If you are asking me right now..” But Donnie cut me off.  
“I am just asking for a chance. Time to show you that...” he got to his feet, towering over my head. “You entered my life out of nowhere and suddenly you mean the whole world to me. Give me time to show you that.”  
It was the most romantic thing anyone ever said to me. I stood there dumbfounded, staring up at him.  
“Uhm...Marlowe,” he ducked his head a little.  
“I'm sorry, I just...no one has ever said anything like that to me before,” I was still in a sort of haze.  
He smiled brightly and shook his head.  
“I'll tell you every day how much you mean to me.”  
I felt like my face might split from how wide I smiled. I didn't know if it would work between Donnie and I, I didn't know how it would if it did. But the way he was looking at me, the way he spoke to me, it made butterflies erupt in my stomach and my heart beat harder than it ever had. And it made me want to try.  
“Most of what I know has come from different advice columns and relationship forums. So if you have any more experience...”  
“I've only ever dated one guy. And he wasn't...”  
“Wasn't what?” Donnie asked.  
“Han wasn't...He cheated on me.”  
“He what?!” his eyes narrowed behind slits. “Why would anyone..”  
“It was a long time ago Donnie and while it hurt at the time. I've gotten over it.”  
“I don't understand the mindset. You made a promise to someone else that you would be faithful, that you would love only them. And then..” he shook his head, angry.  
I shrugged.  
“Beats me, Donnie, maybe some people don't want to be loved.”  
“I want it more than anything,” he whispered.  
“You are loved,” I gripped his hands tighter. “Your brothers love you, Splinter loves you.”  
“I know they do,” he smiled. “But I want you to love me.”  
“Give it time Donnie. In the meantime, maybe we go on a date?”

 

Two Months later-

“I want to apologize,” Master Splinter turned his head slightly.  
“Whatever for Marlowe?” his smooth calm voice reached me. He was in the kitchen, making tea.  
“Donnie and I have been together for a little over two months and I just realized today I never stopped to ask if that was okay with you.”  
He turned around now to look at me. His black eyes assessed me, a soft smile on his mouth.  
“Are you asking for permission to love my son?”  
I shook my head.  
“No. I will love him regardless. But I would feel better, knowing I had your blessing.”  
“You accept my son for who he is,” Splinter smiled. “You care for his brothers as if they were your own. You make him happy. You have my blessing, and my thanks.”  
I felt a weight lift off my chest. We shared a silent moment, a literal moment until the brothers came flying down the water shoot.  
“Munchkin? You here?” Mikey came running into the kitchen, dripping water everywhere.  
“Mikey!” I pointed to the water and he grinned, holding his arms out like he was going to hug me. I held my finger up. “Don't you dare Michaelangelo, not if you want to learn how to make peanut butter filled chocolate cupcakes.”  
His arms dropped instantly and a large smile broke out.  
“Yes! I'll go dry off,” and he was gone. Splinter chuckled behind me.  
“What?” I asked, turning around.  
Splinter shook his head and left, teapot in hand. Mikey was back in a flash and we got to work. He had caught on quick since we started the Sunday cooking club. All two of us. But Mikey loved it, he was eager to learn and had a natural talent for it. I praised him left and right, and easily guiding him around any errors he made. In the end, he made two dozen peanut butter filled cupcakes. He put them all on a large sheet and tore out of the kitchen, wanting to share his creation with his family. I did up the dishes and headed over to see Donnie. I knew he was working on the truck in the makeshift garage. I had a steaming mug of coffee, with tiramisu creamer. As I walked in, he was under the hood, wrench in his hand.  
“Hi honey,” I smiled as I walked over, placing a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to look at me. I held up the cup of coffee up in offering. He grinned, setting the wrench down and taking the cup.  
“Thank you, love,” he sipped the coffee, moaning in happiness when he realized I put his favorite creamer in it. He set his mug down on the edge of the truck to wrap his arms around me. I gladly returned it, resting my head carefully on his hard plastron.  
“How was your day?” his voice muted by the fact that his lips were on the top of my head.  
“About that...” I sighed. “Han came into the restaurant today.”  
Donnie snorted and then pulled away so he could look at me.  
“Han Jr, I'm assuming,” he picked his coffee back up and leaned casually on the truck.  
“Unfortunately. He said he 'heard' that I had gotten hot through a friend and came to see for himself.”  
Donnie shook his head and took another drink. “Despicable creature,” he mumbled.  
“Oh, it gets better. He then accused me of getting 'hot' as a way to get him back. And then told me it worked and...tried to kiss me. I pushed him away and Han senior whomped him over the head with a stalk of celery.”  
I wasn't exactly sure how he was going to react. So I waited for him to wade through what I had told him.  
“I can't believe he tried to kiss you,” Donnie finally spoke.  
“We agreed to complete honesty, so I felt I needed to tell you. I'm sorry if it upset you.”  
He lurched forward with that quickness that always startled me. It was easy to forget they were highly trained and disciplined ninjas. He wrapped his arms around me tightly, his hand rubbing my back.  
“I should be asking you if you are alright,” he mumbled into my hair, taking a deep breath in through his nose. “But I was so angry for a moment I couldn't even think.”  
“I'm fine, Han is a harmless idiot.”  
“Doesn't stop me from wanting to break his legs,” Donnie growled out, making me giggle. I felt a warmth blossom in me, the fact that Donnie was angry on my behalf, was possessive of me, it felt good.  
“Hey,” I tipped my head back and made a mock angry face at him. “Where's my hello kiss?”  
He grinned and leaned down, placing his cool lips against my warm plush ones. His hands slid around my shoulders, embracing me tightly against him. These were my favorite kisses from Donnie. Slow, passionate.  
“Now my day is complete,” I sighed against him.  
“Awe, look at my little love doves,” Mikey was standing in the doorway, holding his nearly empty tray of cupcakes.  
“Whoa,” I motioned to the tray. Mikey sighed and shook his head.  
“Raph,” we both said at the same time. And then we laughed. He came in and proudly offered a cupcake to Donnie. He took it and tentatively took a bite. Then he took another, an another until it was all gone.  
“Delicious,” he smiled at his younger brother. “Great job Mikey.”  
Mikey was on cloud 9 as he left. Donnie nudged me gently.  
“He's improving quickly. You're a great teacher.”  
“It's all him. Oh, while I have you for a few seconds, I have some tech questions for you.”  
He raised his brow some, grabbing his coffee and pulling up the little wheeling stool he zipped around on in here.  
“Shoot,” he smiled.  
“Mikey wants to go grocery shopping with me,” I began and Donnie's face fell. “No no no! Not in the literal sense! I know he can't come up there with me,” I explained quickly. Donnie nodded his head, the panic I had seen on his face now gone. “I have a pair of google goggles I got from a friend who works at MSG as security, he said they'd been sitting in lost and found for months. I thought I could somehow link these to a screen down here, so Mikey could virtually come grocery shopping with me...”  
I stopped talking when I realized Donnie was staring at me. And not in a normal way one looks at someone when they are talking to them. I couldn't place it even if I wanted too.  
“Donnie?” I smiled, slightly worried. A slow, lazy smile spread across his face, stretching into a full grin.  
“I didn't think I could love you any more than I did just a few minutes ago,” he got up and walked slowly towards me. When he reached me he pulled me to him, bending some so he could slide his arms around my back and waist, resting his head on my shoulder. Lips immediately catching my neck in little kisses.  
“What's all this?” I sighed, loving the feel of his lips on my neck. As our relationship progressed, he got more comfortable touching me. Kissing me. It was wonderful.  
“You are the kindest, amazing, selfless, smart, beautiful woman on this planet. He kissed up my jaw and over to my lips. “I don't know what I've done to deserve you.”  
I grabbed his face, pulling it up so we were eye level.  
“You are you, that is what you've done. Donnie,” I smiled. “You're so amazing. You put yourself in danger to rescue strangers, you stand up to those nobody else will. You love your family with a ferocity that puts most families to shame. You are the most wonderful man I have ever had the privilege of knowing and the fact that you chose me, just a regular girl. Well, let's just say sometimes I don't think I deserve you.”


	2. Mikey

“Thank you so much for helping me,” I sighed, dragging another box of donated books toward me.   
“You have already thanked me,” Splinter mused as he sorted. I looked up and watched him for a moment, a small smile spreading over my lips. He was in his usual black kimono, although with all the dust it looked slightly gray now. “You are staring.”  
I nodded and continued to work. But after a moment I paused again.  
“I know I've thanked you already, but sometimes it doesn't feel like enough,” I looked over to him again. He turned his head to look at me, dark eyes kind. “You saved my life...”  
“It was not your life those men were after,” he turned and continued to sort.   
“I may not have died, but my life would have ended. I'm not strong enough to make it through something like that.”  
“You are stronger than you know Tilly.”  
“Let's agree to disagree,” I mused as I looked around my bookstore. It was old, but it was mine. And with Splinter's help it was coming right along. I would be able to open early if we kept up this pace.   
“It is nearing the anniversary of the day we met,” Splinter looked over to me. “Is that what has you so trapped in the past?”  
“No and yes,” I smiled. “The weather is the same as the night we met, but that's not it. You could have just walked away after you helped me. But you didn't. You got me home, calmed me down. I've never had the guts to ask you before this, because I was afraid of the answer.”  
“And do you have the guts now?”  
“I do,” I nodded. “Why did you stay after you helped me?” My heart was fluttering painfully. I didn't have any friends, and that was mostly due to my....financial situation. Since I was young people only ever befriended me because my family had money. And time and time again it blew up in my face. I adore Splinter. He was a friend, a mentor, a father figure. If he told me he had stuck around for any reason relating to money, I think it would break me.  
“I know you fear getting close to others, because you have been used in the past,” he began, tucking his hands into the sleeves of his robe across his chest. “But I have no use for money. I stayed with you because you were frightened and upset. Hurting. No one should have to deal with such things alone.”  
I had tears trailing down my cheeks. I wiped at them quickly and smiled at him.  
“And you wonder why I thank you all the time,” my voice was thick from holding back tears.  
“It is I who should thank you. This place as become a sanctuary for me. And you, a good friend. More than this rat deserves.”  
“You deserve a lot more than my old dumpy book store,” I shook my head. “Oh, how is Raph? You said he broke a finger last time we talked.”  
He smiled and assured me he was okay. I had never seen his sons, but I knew their names and stories from what he had told me.  
“How did your meeting go?” he broached the subject very carefully, turning back to his task.   
“Well,” I felt tears prick at my eyes again and tried to shake them away. “My father thinks the book store is a good idea, his wife doesn't. She thinks I am a leech.”  
“Is she aware that this is coming from your trust on your mothers side?”  
“She is. But she doesn't believe it. Doesn't understand why I get so much more than her. I don't know how my father can stand her. It's so obvious she's only there for the money. He told me they got into a fight and she went and put over a hundred thousand dollars on her credit card.”  
Splinter shook his head.   
“What of your brother?”  
“Still in Iraq, but he thinks the book store is a good idea too.” At least I could count on him to support me. Mostly.  
It went quiet and we both went back to work. All of the donated boxes of book were sorted and cataloged. Splinter went home for the night and I triple checked that the grates were down over the windows, the privacy shades were in tact and the door was dead bolted before heading upstairs for the night.  
My apartment was nothing special. I could have had it renovated but what would be the point? I liked that I could see the bricks peeking through the the dry wall in some areas. And the wood floors had all these scuffs and worn places that added character. It was like the apartment had memories of it's own, life of it's own. And I didn't want to erase that.  
I started a bath and grabbed some rose oil, it was my favorite. If the oil was pure, I found that I never needed perfume. The scent lingered on my skin for hours. I pulled off my many sizes to large men's sweater and lose fitting jeans. Ever since I was attacked, my wardrobe slowly began filling with over-sized clothing. I wasn't ashamed of my body, in fact I was in pretty good shape. I worked out at the gym up the road every day. I did squats and donkey kicks and lunges all so I could have a nice lifted rear. I examined myself in the mirror, taking off my very plain underwear and bra. I wasn't the most attractive, I was a little on the pale side. Self assessment done, I climbed into the bath and began to wonder if maybe I should change the way I dressed. It wasn't very professional, and while it was my business I should probably not look like a hobo when I was down there. I grabbed my phone and began to snoop around online.

“You're dressing different,” Splinter commented as we assembled the tables and chairs.   
“Is it terrible? Do I look bad?” I ran my hands over the front of my sweater. A few weeks ago I decided to make a small change. I still wore sweaters, but they were more feminine. Slouchy but meant to be that way. Asymmetrical on purpose, not because the neck was so stretched out. And form fitting jeans. With little heeled booties most of the time.   
“You look wonderful,” he smiled. “I am happy to see you feeling comfortable in your own skin again.”  
“Thanks, it feels good. I feel good.”  
“As you should.”  
It was late, rounding midnight when the sound of something clattering in the back of the shop had both of our heads snapping in that direction.   
“What was that?” I asked, getting to my feet quickly.   
“Sensai!?” someone called out and I watched Splinter stiffen. “Dad?”  
“Yes Michaelangelo, what can I do for you?”  
“Mikey get out of there!”  
“I need a band-aid!”  
“Mikey I have bandages.”  
I looked over to Splinter who was covering his eyes with his clawed hand.  
“Are you alright?” I called, worried. If he need a band-aid he must be bleeding.  
“Oh, girls voice. Must be Tilly. Hey girl, I'm Michaelangelo, but you can call me Mikey!”  
“Come Michelangelo,” Splinter called and I waited to see if I was going to need to run upstairs and grab the first aide kit. I sort of assumed his children would be like him. Rat-esqu. But when the six plus foot green turtle with an orange bandana tied around his eyes came walking around the counter from the back, I knew I was wrong.   
He had big, bright expressive blue eyes and a grin that screamed mischief. He was holding his elbow with his three fingered hand.  
“Oh my gosh!” I covered my mouth with my hands. “I'll go get the first aide kit.” And I dashed upstairs just as the more of them came walking in. I slid into my bathroom and grabbed the large kit, and hoofed it back down.  
“No! Tilly's going to take care of it!” I saw Mikey pulling his injured arm away from a very tall turtle in purple.  
“I got the first aide kit,” the words slowly died on my lips when I had five sets of eyes slide over to me.   
“Tilly,” Splinter looked at me before smiling softly. “These are my sons. Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michaelangelo.”  
“It's nice to meet all of you,” I fumbled a little. “I've heard so much about you.”  
Nobody seemed to know what to do and it became awkward very fast. I suddenly remembered Mikey's bleeding elbow and rushed over.  
“I'm so sorry,” I apologized as I set the heavy kit down on the nearest table. “Do you need help or can you..”  
“I can help him,” Donatello, the purple banded one moved forward and Mikey stepped back.  
“Tilly can help me, right?” he looked at me with with big blue eyes and I agreed.  
“Ugh, sure.”  
“Baby,” Donatello hissed at him.  
“Whatever Doctor Frankenstein,” Mikey mumbled and then smiled at me.   
“Can you move your hand so I can see?” I asked and moved closer. He lifted his arm up and then pulled away his three fingered hand. It was a scratch, not terribly deep, enough to cause it to bleed a little. “It's not bad,” I assured him. “A little cleaning, some antibiotic ointment and a band-aid and I think I can save the arm.”  
Donatello, who had been watching as Mikey showed me his arm let out a howl of laughter. Mikey grinned at me and I set about doing my little task.   
“So unfortunately for you I am a girl and all I have are band-aids I like. So you get to choose between little red heart shaped ones or bacon.”  
He started giggling and pointed to the hearts. As I applied it he asked,  
“So is this you giving me your heart?”  
“If I was giving you my heart I would have put the bacon band-aid on you.”  
“Is there anything else?” Splinter looked over at his sons and I could feel the non-verbal scolding his eyes were lashing out at them.  
“Was just, you know,” Mikey began and then sighed. “Curious.”  
“I tried Sensai,” Leonardo shook his head. “He purposely fell off the roof.”  
“And what were you doing on this roof?” He seemed to not know what to say and I had a light bulb moment.  
“You guys have been on the roof? That explains my warped chair,” I nodded to myself. It looked like someone weighing about what one of these turtles did had sat in it and stretched all the fabric out, causing it to droop.  
Everyone looked to Raphael and he ducked his head.  
“It's okay! It's just a chair.”

After that night, Mikey was pretty much here all the time. He just started showing up at night, asking if he can help with anything. He drove Splinter insane, and he made me equal parts nervous and excited. It had been about four months since that night I met them all and it was just him and I cleaning up after a long, tiring day. But sales were good, people liked the atmosphere. I couldn't ask for more.  
“Hey beautiful, you want me to take the trash out for you?” Mikey called, already gathering up all the garbage bags. He didn't wait for me t respond, he just brought them out back and came back in. I was counting down the til when he came around and leaned on the counter to watch me.  
“Mikey,” I sighed.   
“Sup angelcakes?”   
“Why are you doing all this?”  
His blue eyes met my brown ones and he looked confused.  
“Doing all what?” he smiled.  
“This. Coming over every night, taking the garbage out, telling me I'm beautiful.”  
He watched me fidget for a few seconds before he smiled brighter.  
“Because I like you. Because I do think you're beautiful. It's your eyes, they are the prettiest things I've ever seen. They look like hot cocoa. And your hair is so shiny and soft and it smells like coconut. And when you smile,” he grabbed his chest dramatically. “Girl, I swear my heart stops. And then you start talking to me and it just starts racing in there.”   
I stared at him.  
“It's racing right now, because I am so nervous,” he blinked a few times. “I wanted to say all of that for so long, but Splinter told me to wait. To go slow. Give you time. And I will. The rest of my life, til I'm like a super old Tortoise.”  
I continued to stare at him.  
“All I need to hear from you is you like me too,” he finished, voice going low and trailing off. He was still looking at me, his usually dazzling blue eyes a little more mellow.   
“I do,” I whispered. “I do like you.”  
A slow smile spread across his face until he was grinning.  
“But I'm..nervous. I haven't really liked anyone for awhile, not since before..well before I was attacked.”  
Mikey nodded, reaching out and taking my hand gently.  
“You call the shots.”  
“No, that's not how a relationship is supposed to be. Not how I want it to be,” I nodded. “I want you to have a voice as well as me. Otherwise it's not fair.”  
“You know what I like best about you?” he asked, leaning down to kiss my hand. “How you make me feel. I don't feel like a weird mutant turtle when I'm with you. I feel strong and smart and important.”  
“Mikey that's beautiful,” I smiled.  
“How do I make you feel?” he asked, looking at me with that soft smile.  
“Safe. Cared for. Pretty.”  
“Beautiful,” Mikey interjected, holding up a large green finger.  
“Beautiful,” I smiled. “You give me hope.”  
“Hope?” his smiled remained, but it was puzzled.  
“Yes. Your touching me Mikey, which isn't something I could handle even just a few months ago. But I am completely at ease with you, I even want you to touch me more. I want to kiss you and that is not something I have wanted for awhile.”  
He leaned over the counter and gently, almost feather lite, touched his lips to mine.  
“One step at a time angelcakes,” he mumbled, putting his lips back against mine, with a little more passion this time. “Does this mean your my girlfriend?”  
“Yes,” I smiled against his lips. “I think it does.”


	3. Raph

“I don't have a telepathic heart,” I was singing along with the music as I worked. The mural had been coming together over the past few weeks, so much so that I was pretty sure I was going to finish way before my deadline.   
That was before I saw my work today. When I arrived, letting myself in through the privacy chain link fence, I had been excited. And then I saw the tagging. Someone had used orange spray paint and tagged all along the edges of my mural. I was broken-hearted. Disappointed. A few hot tears rolled down my cheeks before I got a hold of myself. I took photos and sent them to my client, letting them know about the incident. I also contacted the NYPD to let them know about the vandalism. An officer came about an hour later and took my report, along with some photos. And then I just stared at it for awhile. All of the spray paint had been on the very edges of the mural. Wasn't the point of vandalism to destroy? So why only there? It was like whoever did it, didn't really want to ruin my work, only mildly inconvenience me. And that was weird in and of itself.   
My speaker let out a little chime, letting me know the battery was getting low. At the same time I heard a metallic clang and someone mutter 'shit'.  
I hit pause on the speaker and looked around.   
“Hello?” I called out into the dusky night. It was never really dark in New York. But with the large flood lights illuminating the wall, I couldn't see anything past them.  
“Hola?” I called out again, thinking maybe they didn't understand English. “Ni hao?”  
Nothing answered back, but I could feel something looking at me. “Whoever you are, I've got bear mace and I'm a great shot with it.” Nothing, so I leaned down and opened my pack to pull out the large black and orange can.  
“You really do have it,” a Brooklyn accent hit my ears. “Thought ya was just talkin' out yer ass.”  
“Met a lot of talking asses?” I snapped, trying to find the source of the voice. “What do you want?”  
“Nuttin'. I just...” he trailed off for a moment before clearing his throat and picking back up again. “Wanted to come down and apologize. It was my little bro who tagged your shit.”  
“Wow. Thanks so much. Tell your little brother he's a jerk for scribbling all over my 'shit' mural. Which is a memorial, by the way.”  
Any artist will tell you that not everybody is going to like your work. That's just the way things go. But no matter how many times you hear it, it never hurts any less. Never stops making you a little sad, a little disappointed. Some got angry, but I didn't have much use for that emotion. It never led anywhere good, at least not in my experience.  
“I didn't mean..shit.”  
I had already began packing my things up. If whoever this was didn't want to leave, then I would. I didn't feel any sort of hostility or danger in the situation I was in, but that didn't mean it wasn't here.   
“I don't know why you are here, but..”  
“I didn't mean your mural was shit,” he came back with, cutting me off. “I've watched you paintin' since the beginning. I..I think it looks really nice. It's ugh...beautiful.” He mumbled the last word but I heard it all the same. I slowly hoisted my pack onto my shoulder before nodding.  
“Even though this situation is really very strange, thank you.”  
“You comin' back again tomorrow?” he asked. It raised warning bells. Words like stalker, and attacker, flashed through my head.  
“Fuck, that sounded creepy even ta me,” he hissed out, I think more at himself than me.  
“Yeah, just a little.”  
“You gonna freak out if I'm back here again tomorrow ain't ya?”  
“Well it's a bit stalker like. Maybe if I knew why you were here, what you were doing, and you know, put a face to the voice speaking to me from in the darkness.”  
“You wouldn't like what you saw,” he rumbled out. But I could hear him moving, or at least I thought I did. This was a quiet borough and relatively safe, in comparison to other areas. Not a lot of foot traffic and the usual street traffic. Plus this specific area had one of those neighborhood watch groups. They walked by all the time and asked how I was doing.  
“I really hate when people say things like that. How on earth do you, a complete stranger, know what I would or would not like? It's like having someone put words in your mouth, makes me feel sort of like a puppet with a hand shoved up my butt. I hate it!”  
Heavy footsteps drew my eyes to the left and out walked a very large, muscle bound green...no, not a solid green. Wait, green?! I stared for a few moments, wondering if it was really well done special effects. I stepped forward, eyes scanning, looking at the details. The dewy look to the skin, the scales, the old cracks and nicks in the frontal shell looking...a turtle! That's what he looked like. It was the little movements, the shifting from side to side, the impossibly large muscles twitching, that drove it home for me.  
“Holy crap!” I exclaimed softly. “This is amazing! You're amazing.” I looked up to see he had what looked to be the remnants of a red t shirt tied around the top of his head as a sort of mask. Peering down at me where a set of intensely bright green eyes that reminded me of the northern lights.  
A crooked smile stretched across his face as he brought a three fingered hand up to the back of his neck. It was an obvious sign of discomfort and I immediately felt bad.  
“I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to ogle you like that. It's just...”  
“I'm a freak?”  
“Don't say that. You're different, sure. But it's our differences that bring us together.”  
“Easy fer you ta say,” he huffed and shuffled from side to side.   
“Have you ever put a puzzle together?” I asked him, moving closer. He watched me walk until I was less than a foot from him.   
“Yeah, so?”  
I held my hand up like I was waving hello and motioned for him to do the same. He hesitated, but after a moment he raised his large, three fingered hand like mine.   
“The pieces are all different, but fit together perfectly,” and with that I put my hand on his and slid my fingers between his own easily. He looked down to see our linked hands.   
“You're crazy,” he laughed, shaking his head. “You go around holding every strange guys hand?”  
“You're the first,” I grinned and uncurled my fingers from his. “But you get my point right?”  
He locked those green eyes onto my honey colored ones and I held them until he looked away.  
“Yer saying we got more in common than we have different.”  
“Exactly,” I grinned and stepped over to the power strip, I used the toe of my shoe to push the button and shut the lights off. Darkness enveloped us immediately.  
“Pretty brave aren't cha?” I could hear the smile in his voice.  
“The opposite really,” I moved carefully, letting my eyes adjust.  
“What?!” his voice cracked and I could see him nervously moving about in the now much darker work area. I moved towards the fence and slid through the opening. I waited and then he just vaulted himself over it, all ten feet of it, like it was nothing. I shut the gate door and redid the chain and padlocked it shut.  
“You can't go walkin' round in the dark with a stranger. That's how you get hurt.”  
“You can sit here and complain or you can walk with me to the bar where I am playing tonight. You're choice.”  
I walked away and after a few moments he caught up to me.  
“What you play?”  
“Instrument or music?”  
“Both.”  
“Well I can play most string instruments, and percussion. Not much of a brass fan. As far as the music, I play whatever I am hired to play. I fill in for bands.”  
“So your a band fill in painter.”  
“More or less. Neither one pays the bills fully, so I do both. What about you?”  
“Look at me, what you think I do?”  
“I don't know. With the internet today, you could be anything. A writer, a musician, an artist. Whatever you want to be.”  
He stopped walking and I stopped as well.  
“You think I could be one of those things?” he asked, fidgeting with his weapons at his side.  
“Of course. Why couldn't you be?”  
He just motioned to himself and I smiled and walked back.  
“I don't know you, and you don't know me. But if it helps I believe in you.”  
“Why?” his voice was slightly halting.  
“Why not? Life is short and the world can be cruel but I don't have to be. I choose to be kind. I choose to believe in others.”  
“Where the hell did you come from?”  
“All over the place. My parents are tumbleweeds. You?”  
“From here.”  
“Well I suppose I should introduce myself then. Frances Philomena Adair. But everyone calls me Frankie.”  
“Raph,” he smiled.   
“Well Raph, it was nice to meet you.”

 

“You done on your end?” he asked, pulling his brush away from what he was working on.  
“I am, how is yours coming along?” I moved closer to him, his free hand coming out to help guide me along the scaffolding. He never missed an opportunity to put his hands on me. Usually it was for a reason, hands on my hips to help me off the scaffolding, a hand on my lower back as I eased around him.  
“Good, flowing.”  
Raph had been helping me with my murals now for about two months. But he had come with me to every job since we had met over seven months ago. He was very talented, and only took a little coaxing to get him to join me. I watched from his side as he continued, he was using yellows and oranges and red tonight, not his usual color palette. He moved to dip his brush, which meant he had to cross in front of me. He used his free hand to grip my shoulder as he leaned over me to dip. I smiled.   
“Almost done,” he mused, losing himself once again in what he was doing. I began cleaning up as he finished. He vaulted off the scaffolding and took a few steps back to look at what we had created together. He made a happy noise in his throat. Before looking over to me.  
“You have something you want to tell me?” I asked, bending over to put away my supplies.   
“Looks good,” he was staring very intently at the mural we had just finished. I smiled at him and began to undo my long red hair from the bun I usually kept it in while working. I was a natural redhead, so freckles and blue eyes. I was tan though, instead of being pale. I worked out in the sun a lot. I heard a noise, almost like a grunt and looked over to see Raph watching me.   
“What's up?”  
He didn't say anything for a moment before starting to come forward and then stopping. He swore under his breath. I cut him a break and swayed over to him.   
“Do you by any chance have a crush on me?” I asked as I took his big paint covered hands in my own. He looked down at me and I smiled softly back up at him.   
“I got a crush on the weather girl,” he grinned. “What I got for you,” and he surprised me by dipping his head down and catching my lips with his cool ones. His hands left mine and moved to cup my face.  
“Please tell me that was okay,” he whispered when our lips parted.  
“Mmm,” I grinned at him. “I'll need several more to really decide.”  
He grinned down at me, before pulling me against him once again. Our lips had almost touched when a whistle broke through the air.   
“Alright Raph!”  
I turned and smiled to see three turtles sitting on the ledge of the short building we were working on.   
“Your brothers,” I giggled.  
“Assholes,” he growled out loud enough for them to hear. They laughed and continued to cat call and whistle. “Come here.”  
He grabbed me up and kissed me breathless. They roared with applause and I grinned.  
“They seem pleased.”  
“I'm one of the last ones to..ugh, well..”  
“Be kissed?” I pecked him gently on his lips but he looked far away again. “Hey, what's wrong?”  
“Donnie has been with Marlowe for over two years now. Mikey has Tillie.”  
“Leo isn't with anyone, right?”  
“No, but..”  
“Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?”  
“I want it,” he nodded. “But I don't know why you would want me. Badass band chick, bartender, artist. And...me.”  
“Hey now,” I took his hands again. “What about you? You're kind, thoughtful, a beautiful artist. An actual hero.”  
“A freak.”  
“Says who? Not your brothers, or their girlfriends. Not your dad. Not April or Vern or Casey. The only one who says freak is you. Now are you going to be my boyfriend or am I going to have to...”  
He cut me off by kissing me. When he pulled away I licked my lips.  
“So that's a yes?”   
“Hell yes,” he grabbed me and pulled me closer.


	4. Leo

“Move those feet!” I hollered from the side of the ring. I had just gotten off my week of twelves and stopped down to see how my dad was faring.  
“I been telling him that all morning,” my dad grinned as he walked over to give me a hug. “How's saving lives been treating you?”  
“There are not enough hours in the day sometimes. Yesterday I wasn't even out of the parking lot with a gunshot victim and another person was shot. In the same parking lot.”   
“Damn kids.”  
“Do I look as old as I feel?”  
“Burning the candle at both ends sweetheart, what do you expect?”  
“Miracles.”  
He laughed and yelled out to the new kids in the rings again.  
“Alright, I just wanted to check in before I went home.”  
“Sleep tight baby girl,” he waved me away. My dad was something of a local hero. He was a Marine, no such thing as a retired. And a boxing champion. Kids from all over the city and sometimes even further away would come to train with him. I did not want to fully immerse myself into the military, so I did the National Guard bit. Did my training this past summer, came home and decided to become an EMT. I had started the paramedic courses only last week so I was a little everywhere.  
I was almost home, when my phone started vibrating. I pulled it out and saw it was Casey. Hadn't spoken to him in a hot minute.  
“Blair!” he nearly deafened me with his scream.  
“Casey?” I tried to understand what he was saying. “Casey slow down, I can't understand.”  
“Help!..Docks...warehouse...hurt bad...bleeding.”  
“Casey where are you?” I calmed down, trying to listen. “I can't help if I don't know where you are. Look around.”  
“Pier 57....behind warehouse...Foot.....no cops.”  
The line went dead and I felt fear bloom through my veins. I took off running at a fast pace. I wasn't far from the docks, but this was New York, it would take me awhile to get there on foot. I pulled out my cell phone and called the hub to see who was out and about.   
“Ramirez is near you, about a block north. I'll let him know you're coming.”  
It was not exactly legal to use an ambulance for personal reasons, not to mention if your going to be running lights and what not. But this was an emergency. I saw the ambulance through traffic and raced over to it. Ramirez unlocked the door and I jumped up into the cab.   
“What's up?”  
I explained briefly and he nodded, flipping on the sirens. I thanked him.   
“You went to the plate for me,” he nodded. “The only reason I got this job was because you vouched for me. I owe you.”  
“You don't owe me, but now I owe you,” I grinned as he floored it through an intersection.   
“You gonna be okay, the pier ain't the safest place,” he kept his eyes on the road.  
“Don't know, but I get friend who could be hurt bad, and he said no cops.”  
He pulled to the gate, turning the lights and siren off.   
“Take my bag,” he unbuckled and slid into the back with Hector was sleeping. This overtime was killing us. He tossed it to me and I opened the door.   
“Hey, you get into some shit, call. I'll come ram this big bitch through the gate.”  
“Thanks.”  
I slung the bag over my shoulder and used the front of the ambulance to climb over the gate. It was a loading gate that had been closed for some years now. They sealed it with more chain link and patrolled it every so often.  
I landed on the other side and took off at a sprint. Casey said behind, he was behind a warehouse. I was sweating like a pig when I finally heard voices. And the sound of fighting. I peeked out from around a corner and saw a group of people in a circle. Over to the left were a few large figures, tied to the steel beams of the loading docked. Scratch that, chained. I could hear them rattling from here.   
“Leave him alone!” one of them screamed and it got me moving again. I couldn't see Casey, not yet anyways. I chose to move towards the chained up figures, hoping if they were in any condition to fight they could help. As I got closer I saw Casey, and three really big, strange looking things. They had shells, and were green. And that was about all my brain was going to process at the moment. I snuck up behind them, and put my hand over Casey's mouth so he wouldn't scream.  
“It's me,” I whispered and he stopped his thrashing. He turned to look at me and I saw his face was beaten pretty badly.   
“How's you're airway?” I whispered. “Breathing okay?”  
“Fine,” he mumbled around what was probably a broken jaw. “Help Mikey.”  
I looked over to where he was indicating with his head. The circle broke and I could see they were really going to town on another one of the green things. He was curled up, protecting his head.  
“Okay. I'm going to get you loose and then you need to free these three and I'll get Mikey.”  
He wasn't secured very well, but with the state of him I probably wouldn't have worried about it either. I found a piece of concrete and threw it as hard as I could, making sure it arced high enough to land on the top of the warehouse behind them. They all froze and began to talk among themselves.  
I watched as about seven went to check it out, leaving behind five. Not the best odds for me, but it was better than twelve on one.  
I left my bag with my supplies next to Casey and rushed out, hoping for the element of surprise. I brought my foot down on the side of the first persons knee, hearing it snap as he went down with a shriek. If they all yelled like this I was going to be over run quickly.  
The next one get a fist to the throat and two to the stomach. I moved quickly, darting around like my father taught me. One of them clipped the side of my face, but it wasn't a solid land. I ducked another punch and threw one myself. It wasn't my best fight, but I landed more than I missed and I didn't take very many myself. A right hook put my last opponent down and busted my knuckles open.  
“Mikey,” I rushed quickly over to the green shelled thing. He was getting up and when I approached him, his arm snapped out and hit me hard enough right above my eyebrow that it sent me straight to the ground from the force of it. Little black dots danced in my vision as I attempted to get up. I fell at first, but shook my head and tried again. I was successful this time, and so was Casey. He was limping over to me, while the other three went to Mikey.  
“You okay?” Casey mumbled, holding his side.  
“Damn near took my head off,” I had never had my bell rung like that. Ever. He had a mean hit.   
“Is she alright?” another one approached.  
“She's tougher than she looks,” Casey spoke through clenched teeth.   
“You guys need to bug out,” I could hear the sound of heavy footfalls coming our way.  
“What about you?” one of them asked.  
“You leave first, I let them see me. They think I'm the straggler and follow. I can out run them.”  
“This is a bad plan,” Casey gritted.  
“Got something better?”  
“We all leave together,” one of them spoke and I all but rolled my eyes.  
“They'll catch us. Casey can't run for long, his breathing is already restricted. And Mikey over there is swaying in the breeze. This is the best option.”  
“It's puts you in the most danger.”  
“She's in the army,” Casey looked at him. “She is a flyweight boxing champ, let her do this.”  
I didn't wait for anyone to respond. Casey had Ramirez's bag slung around him so I didn't have to worry about the extra weight. And I took off, making sure to run right in front of where they were coming out of. They started yelling and I chanced a look back. Some of them were fast. But unless they trained to keep that speed, they were going to tire out. I has stamina in spades. What worried me was the feeling in my head. I was concussed, for sure. And pushing myself like this didn't make it any better. But it was the only way I could keep them off of Casey and his pals long enough.  
The fence was approaching and grinned. I had spent weeks climbing higher and harder things than a nine foot chain link fence. As I reached it I vaulted up, like I was taught and quickly scaled it, tossing myself over, landing in a hard roll and I kept on going. I ran all the way to the nearest fire house and collapsed as soon as they opened the door.  
I was right. I had a concussion. A pretty nasty one too. After texting back and forth with Casey I told the police that I was heading to meet him and when I arrived he was being jumped by some Foot members. I had intervened and we broke loose, but lost one another in our attempt to escape.  
My dad knew I was lying, but said nothing while he sat and listened to me recount it time and time again. When they finally left he looked at me and I smiled.   
“Casey got into some trouble, he was doing his hero thing again and got in over his head. I stepped in and took some heat off of him.”  
“Why'd you split?”   
“His jaw was broken, breathing was bad. I figured we split and they would case me, I'm the easiest target. 5'4 of me versus 12 of them? I was easy pickings.”  
He shook his head and rubbed his hands over his eyes.   
“You're not invincible,” he looked down at me. “I had hoped the national guard would show you that.”  
“Dad,” I looked at him. “I don't think I'm invincible. I didn't rush twelve guys. I split them up, diverted them to a more manageable five. And even then I knew my odds weren't great. But I had to try. And I made it by the skin of my teeth and believe me I know it.”  
I looked down at my bandaged knuckles.  
“I don't like to fight,” I whispered. “I hate it. But you can't do nothing.” I looked up at him. “Even I'm smaller, even if I'm out numbered. I won't sit back and not do something. I can't. Wasn't raised that way.”  
He smiled then and leaned down to kiss my forehead.  
“You got a hard head and a soft heart,” he chuckled.   
“Not that hard,” I indicated the bandage and he laughed.  
“That'll teach ya.”

 

“How is she?” Mikey asked, walking around slowly. He realized almost immediately that the girl was just trying to help him. But he acted out of instinct. Out of fear.   
“She's fine,” Casey mumbled, his jaw now wired shut. “Concussion, banged up her knuckles a little bit.”  
He nodded, feeling terrible.   
“When she gets out of the hospital you can apologize,” Tilly smiled over to him as she read on the couch. “I'm sure she understands, and it will make you feel better.”  
“I can't believe she got up,” Raph shook his head. He was in awe of her. He watched Mikey hit her hard enough that should have been lights out. Maybe permanently. But she got right the fuck back up.  
“I told you she's tough,” Casey muttered miserably. “Her dad is Mad Dog Mike.”  
“What!?” Raph stumbled as he walked. “Mad Dog Mike, the boxer. The super heavyweight champ?”  
Casey nodded.  
“That's cool,” Raph turned to look at Frankie as she painted a small canvas behind where he practiced. “Hear that babe?”  
“Mad Dog Mike,” she nodded. “I always wondered if they called him that because Marines sometimes use bulldogs as their symbol or if he got it some other way?” She turned back to what she was doing and Raph looked at her dreamily.  
“I love you, you know that right?”  
“Hmm hmm, I love you too,” she called back. He turned to look at Mikey and mouthed, 'I love that girl'. Mikey grinned and it hurt his face. But he knew how he felt. Tilly was his world.   
“Dinner! In the form of Chinese for my wonderful family,” Marlowe entered with a grin. Her long blonde hair was wavy today and hung loose all the way down to the swell of her rump. Mikey hustled over to help her with the bags, and she shooed him away.  
“You're hurt, I've got this,” she grinned as she set the heavy bags down. She laid everything out and then hand delivered everyone's favorite to them. Frankie kissed her cheek, Tilly gave her bottom a playful smack and both Mikey and Raph simply watched in wonder.   
“Three guesses where Donnie is, but where is Leo?”   
“Meditating, not to be disturbed,” Mikey tried to imitate his voice and failed.  
“Casey, I'm sorry,” he looked at the ensure she had slipped a straw into. “But I bought ice cream to make shakes with for dessert. He smiled and nodded his head.  
“Well I'm disturbing him,” she grabbed his food along with Splinter's and headed down the hallway. She grinned as she opened the screen just enough to slide the food in, laughing when Splinter's hand came out and snatched a pair of chopsticks. He was in seclusion for a week. Deep spiritual meditation. But he still needed to eat.  
She reached Leo's door and knocked once, waiting.  
“Go away,” he snapped.  
“No,” she replied sweetly. Footsteps could be heard as he thumped over to the door and swung it wide. “I know you're mad. I know you blame yourself for everything that went wrong and everyone who got hurt. But your wrong. Now eat your dinner.”  
He tried to be mad at her, but her shit eating grin brought a small smile to his own face. He adored Marlowe. Couldn't have picked a better mate for his brother.   
“What'd you get me?” he asked.   
“Whine ass foods, xiao long bao, peking duck, and yu xiang rou si.”   
He shook his head but was really deeply touched. These were his favorites. And he knew they didn't always offer them at the restaurant, so she had them made specially for him.   
“The girl,” he started and she nodded to let him know she was listening. “She was brave.”  
“It's admirable, what she did. How do you feel about it?” He knew she would pick up on his mixed feelings right away. She was just like that.  
“I'm thankful and angry. She's small, like Frankie height.”  
“What kind of frame does she have? Is she like me or Tilly?”  
“You, definitely more like you. But with a little more muscle. Tilly is...”  
“Built like a supermodel,” she finished for him.  
“Right. What am I talking about? Go eat with Don,” he smiled and leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead, something he had started doing about six months ago. She hummed an answer and walked back into the main room.  
“You get him to open the door?” Mikey asked around a mouthful of food.  
“Of course she did,” Frankie pipped up. “Marlowe is like the turtle whisperer.”  
A round of laughs broke out and she shoo her head, grabbing her and Donnie's food and heading to his lab.  
“Hello darling,” Donnie grinned as she walked in. He happened to be facing the door when she entered.  
“I brought dinner,” she looked around for a safe place to set the food down. He got up quickly and shuffled some things around so she could set it all down.  
“Did you convince Leo to eat?” he asked, taking the food out and setting it up. They ate a lot of the same things so when she ordered for them, they just ate out of all the cartons, sharing.  
“I did. I had Hu make all his favorites.”  
Donnie leaned over and stole a kiss, trying to get across how much he loved her. She went out of her way to make his brother feel better.  
“How do you feel?” she asked, eyeing him up.  
“Sore,” he nodded.   
“I think Leo might be feeling some kind of way for the girl, what's her name?”  
“Blair,” Donnie tucked a piece of her long blonde hair behind her ear. “Why do you think that?”  
“I was just sort of testing the waters on how he felt about the whole thing and he mentioned she was brave. I agreed. And then he blurted out how small she was.”  
“She wasn't abnormally small,” Donnie took a bite of the beef and broccoli.   
“Just out of curiosity I asked him if he remembered her build,” Donnie slowed to look at me.   
“Did he?”  
“Do you?”  
He concentrated for a moment, I know he had near perfect recall.  
“She had a slight hourglass, not nearly as pronounced as yours,” he began. She knew he wasn't playing favorites or trying to score points right now. “She was lithe, I guess would be the best word. Feminine but toned. That's it. She was well toned.”  
“Leo said she was built like me, but with a little more Frankie.”  
“That's a strange and crude comparison. You two have very different builds. Not quiet as opposite as you and Tilly. Ahh, you think he finds her attractive.”  
“I think he finds her actions attractive,” I popped a piece of broccoli into my mouth. “Could be something.”  
“Or nothing,” he leaned in and kissed the corner of her mouth, licking away the small bit of broth that had dripped there.  
“I am three for three,” she grabbed his head and kissed him deeply. “I like my odds.”

It had been almost a month since the pier incident and I had agreed to meet Casey on one of my rare days off to go over everything and meet the big weird turtle things. My thick black hair was hanging around my shoulders in crazy waves.  
Casey appeared seemingly out of nowhere. His broken jaw was on the mend, at least it wasn't wired shut anymore.  
I gave him a quick hug and he nodded for me to follow him.  
“Everybody is pretty much healed up, what about you?”  
“They bruises are blending with my skin now,” I grinned. A gift from my Italian heritage, olive skin.  
“How'd you dad take it?”  
“Oh, he was mad,” I smiled.   
“Not at me right?” Casey paled for a second and I watched him squirm before I let him off the hook.   
“No, he was mad at me. Told me I wasn't invincible.”  
“Well you aren't,” he nodded.   
“Who's side are you on?” I laughed. “I came down there to help you out of a jam. And all I got for my efforts was one hell of a concussion and an angry Irish dad to contend with.”  
Casey laughed as we walked down an empty alley. When we reached the trash can he put his hands against the wall and I watched as it was scanned.   
“Whoa. That's pretty sophisticated stuff,” I followed behind him as a small door opened.  
“Donnie is a genius, and it beats climbing down one of the manholes.”  
“You're joking,” I snorted, following close behind him. As we walked the lights above us turned on, and as we left they turned off. It was slightly creepy. Darkness ahead and darkness behind. Only the small pool of light exactly where you were.  
“It's meant to be off putting,” Casey must have noticed my closeness. “Another one of Donnie's ideas. If they are attacked down here, the lights are trained to follow the intruders, and not give away the position of the team. It's crazy.”  
I nodded, not really knowing what to say. That was crazy, like pentagon level security crazy.   
“We're almost there, just as a heads up, the girls are here as well.”  
“There are girls like them?” I asked.  
“No,” he grinned. “They're human. They are Donnie, Mikey and Raph's girlfriends.”  
“The have girlfriends?”  
“Yeah,” he looked at me with a puzzled look. “Marlowe has been around the longest, before me even, almost three years I think. She's with Donnie. She's also sort of the female version of Leo, but like, not at all. But kind of. She's got this personality that makes it impossible to not like her. She's like glue. And she sort of holds everything together. Leo holds the brothers together and Marlowe keeps everything else together. That's the best way I can describe it.”  
“Okay.”  
“Tilly is with Mikey, she's really nice but timid. Scares easily. And Frankie is with Raph. She's an artist, does murals around town. And is a bartender, and fills in for bands. She's all over the place.”  
“Okay, got it.”  
We came to a door and he looked down at me with a grin.  
“And Splinter is their dad and he is a giant rat,” he opened the door before I could ask him if he was joking me.   
“Everyone,” Casey called out and I could feel eyes move towards me. “This is Blair Murphy, aka Banshee Blair Murphy. Mad Dog Mike's daughter.”  
“I haven't been Banshee Blair since I was sixteen,” I informed them.  
The biggest, as far as muscles went was grinning at me.  
“Your dad was the best underdog fighter in the last twenty years,” he boomed.  
“I'll let him know,” I smiled.  
“Really?” he asked.  
“Sure.”  
“Hey, ugh,” I turned to see Mikey standing there, hand on the back of his neck.  
“You look good,” I smiled.  
“Thanks, heal pretty quick. I didn't mean to hit you,” he looked upset and I shook my head.  
“I never thought you did!” I smiled, trying to ease his guilt. “After a beating like that I would have come up swinging too.”  
“I been telling Frankie about how you took a punch to face and got up like it was nothing. Just like you dad!” If he was talking about Frankie then that must be Raph.  
“Oh it wasn't nothing,” I laughed and then saw Mikey's shoulders slump from the corner of my eye. “But my dad trained me to take a hit, so better me than someone else.”  
He seemed to perk up at this thought and I was happy the lie worked. Nothing prepared you for a hit like that.  
I moved around the room until I was standing next to a woman with blonde hair. She had piled it up on her head in a messy bun. She smiled at me and I found myself returning it.  
“I'm Marlowe,” she grinned.   
“Donnie's girlfriend,” I smiled. “Casey has told me about you.”  
“Ugh oh,” she laughed an it was infectious. “Hopefully nothing bad.”  
“Rave reviews,” I assured her. She smiled again and I fell silent. There was on person I wasn't introduced to and he was hanging back. He had a blue mask on that almost matched his eyes.  
“That's Leo, he is obviously a social butterfly,” Marlowe teased him and I smiled. “Leo!”  
And he seemed to started before he came over.   
“Blair, this is Leo. Leo, Blair. Look, there's my love,” and she zipped away.  
“Nice to meet you,” I smiled at him.  
He nodded but said nothing. She was right about the social butterfly thing. I was about to walk away when he said,  
“How did you know they would follow you?”  
“Law of the jungle,” I grimaced. “I was the easier prey.”  
He nodded and then smiled.  
“I was so mad at you,” and then he shook his head. “But I am more grateful. Thank you, for coming to our aide.”  
“I'd say anytime, but hopefully it's not a common thing.”  
“Casey said you are in the army.”  
“National Guard,” I corrected him. “I wasn't really sure I wanted to follow in my fathers footsteps so I figured I would try it out, see if it fit.”  
“Does it?”  
“I don't mind it. It's one weekend a month and like two weeks in the summer. Plus I get to help my community. But I don't think I could do it nine to five.”  
“And flyweight champion?”  
“You've got a good memory,” I smiled. “I held that title for two years but gave it up.”  
“Why?”  
He was full of questions now.  
“Strange as this might sound, coming from someone like me. But I don't like to fight.” I saw his brow come down thoughtfully.  
“At all?”  
“No, not really. My dad taught me so I could protect myself, the National Guard taught me so I could protect others. I'll step in, I'm not afraid to do it. I just don't like it. I don't like to hurt people and be hurt.”  
“Sometimes it's the only choice we have,” he mumbled.  
“I know,” I nodded, agreeing with him. “Just because I don't like doesn't mean I don't understand it. You can't yell at a Foot clan member and expect them to stop beating on someone. Be great if it did, but that's not how it works most of the time.”  
He looked at me for a few moments, his blue eyes seemed to be able to see through me. It was like a magnet, I would try to look away but I would find myself looking back into his eyes. We talked for hours, far later than I had intended on staying. Until I insisted I had to go home and he offered to take me, because he was so late. The conversation never died, it never got stale. We chatted right up to the door of my apartment. When we said our goodnights, my heart flipped flopped at the thought of seeing him again.

“Told you,” she sang gently to Donnie's left as he chanced a quick glance over to his eldest brother. They way they were both looking at one another certainly did lend credence to her claim.  
“They only just met,” he reminded her.  
“Yes, but it's already started,” she took a sip of her tea and rolled her stunning dark blue eyes up to his honey colored one. “This is going to be the quickest one out of all of us. I would give it two weeks and they will be a couple.”  
“Two weeks?” Donnie grinned down at her. “It took us over three years.”  
“We were more complicated,” she offered. “Leo is more devil may care than you are.”  
“Oh is he?” he slipped a hand down and gave her plush rump a not so gentle squeeze.  
“The scandal!” her eyes went wide when she looked at him, clearly making fun of him. “You coped a feel, on your girlfriend, in your own home! The indecency!” He kissed her to stop her teasing.

I was down with the turtles again, finding any and every excuse I could to be down here. I brought Raph a pair of signed gloves from my dad. He was tickled pink someone wanted his autograph all these years later. I was humming to myself when I heard Leo's voice drifting down from his room. It sounded like he was talking to Marlowe.  
“Are those for Raph?” Frankie asked, grinning. “He's going to squeal like a girl.”  
“Better not be talking about me,” Raph grumbled as he walked over. I held my finger aloft, and dangling from the tied string were the autographed gloves.  
“No fucking way,” he thundered. Reaching for them. He read them over and over and over.  
“Let me see!” Frankie pulled at his arm, trying to get a good look.  
“Well he didn't squeal,” I grinned. “My dad asked me if you had a nickname yet and I didn't know. But he said when you get one, he'll sign it on another pair.”  
“A nickname?”  
“Like Mad Dog Mike,” I grinned. “I thought haymaker might be work but you are far beyond a haymaker.”  
“Knock out?” Frankie offered.  
“I feel like a punch from those guns isn't going to be a knockout, it's going to be DOA.”  
“DOA?” they both asked.  
“Dead on arrival.”  
Raph grinned and I watched as Leo talked over to inspect the gloves as well.  
“This was very kind of you,” he smiled down at me.  
“Ah, it was my dad. All I did was ask.”  
“It was still a thoughtful gift,” he gave Raph's arm a pat and I watched as something passed between them.   
“C'mon Frankie baby,” Raph scooped her up and she giggled at his antics. “Let's go watch Tilly beat Mikey's ass in Mario Kart.”  
I laughed and shook my head.   
“Blair,” Leo brought my attention back to him and without warning, he swooped down and put his lips on mine. I froze, but only for a moment. God why had it taken him so long! I had been trying to give him all the right signals for almost two weeks! I flirted. I dressed up, I literally was throwing myself at him. When we broke apart he smiled down at me.  
“I take it you liked that?”  
“Very much,” I smiled. “I was patiently waiting for you to make a move. I had almost given up hope.”  
He grinned then and leaned down to whisper in my ear,  
“I know. But it was more fun watching you get frustrated with me.”  
“You're terrible,” I accused. “So you knew all along and you let me behave that way?”  
“It was adorable,” he leaned back in for another kiss. “Besides, I have never had anyone pursue me and I found I liked it.”  
“Well I feel like an idiot. I'm embarrassed,” I covered my face with my hands.  
“I am sorry,” he pulled me to him. “I really did enjoy it. You never looked like an idiot to me. It was flattering to know you wanted me, the same way I wanted you.”  
I sighed and he laughed, that rich throaty laugh that I could listen to all day.  
“I'll make it up to you,” he pulled me closer to him and ran a hand up and down my back, soothing me.   
“On one condition,” I murmured against his chest.   
“If it is anything other than you being my girlfriend then I don't want to hear it.”  
I didn't say a word.


End file.
